Pipe wrapping machine



Aug. 26, 1941. J. D. CUMMINGS PIPE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed De'c. 7, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 s. m n. 8

INVENTOR 5 W m /C W c a mm J ATTORNEY J. D. CUMMINGS PIPE WRAPPING MACHINE Aug. 26, 1941.

Filed Dec. 7, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 awn $8 Y mmflw m/ mm mm w 2 W 5 Y e B m a J 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVEI|TOR ummmgs James D. C

J. D. CUMMINGS PIPE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Dec. 7, 1938 Aug. 26, 1941.

BY WM Q KZAL ATTI'ORNEY Patented Aug. 26, 1941 UNITED STAT'E-S PATENT OFFICE PIPE WRAfiSflfZMACHINE I i I James D.

assignor to N. Y.,

Application December 7, 1938, Serial No. 244,409

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a wrapping machine, and more particularly to a wrapping machine for applying a coating of protective material spirally about an object such as a pipe, while the same is in position in an extended pipe line or while in the form of a relatively short section.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine which can be advanced along a pipe line to apply a protective material thereto, or be maintained stationary and have sections of pipe passed through it to wrap protective material spirally about same.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a wrapping machine which is capable of applying a tight and smooth coating of wrapping material to a pipe or other object.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a machine for wrapping protective material about a pipe, the machine being so consructed that the rate of application of the material to the pipe is automatically synchronized with the relative translational movement between the machine and the pipe or other object undergoing wrapping.

Other objects and advantages, if not specifically pointed out, will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of what are now considered the preferred embodiments of the present invention.

- Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with the present invention and showing the machine in position on a pipe for applying a wrapping material to the same.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a modification of the machine shown in Fig. 1, and

- Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane indicated by line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The pipe wrapping machine comprises a frame H) which may be formed of channel or other suitable sections welded or otherwise connected at their ends to form a substantially rectangular frame. The frame In may be given any suitable form, since it serves merely as a supporting structure for the other to be described later. A shaft I2 is journaled in depending brackets I4 which are riveted or otherwise connected to the frame Ill. The shaft [2 carries traction wheels it which are fixed relatively to the shaft and are beveled on their oppositefaces so as to make better contact with a pipe or other rounded body on which they elements of the machine support the frame H]. A second shaft I8 is journaled in depending brackets 20, riveted or'otherwise connected to the frame Ill. Wheels 22, similar in all respects to the traction wheels I6, are affixed to the shaft [8. The pair of traction wheels I6, as well as the pair of wheels 22, may each be replaced by a single wheel suitably shaped to fit the curvature of the pipe or other rounded body if desired.

A power source 24, which may be any wellknown type of internal combustion engine, an electric motor, or other prime mover, all of which are hereinafter designated by the term motor, is suitably supported on frame I0. A sprocket 26 is aflixed to the shaft l2 and is connected to a sprocket 28 carried by the engine 24 by a chain 30. Other types of motion transmission devices may be employed instead of the sprockets and chain if desired.

A plate 32 is suitably supported from the frame l0 as at 34 and is arranged to carry a series of rollers 36 which are positioned in the form of a circle. Plate 32 surrounds or partially surrounds the pipe to be wrapped and may well be in the form of an inverted U. In any case, an appreciable clearance is provided between the inner edge of the plate and pipe. A ring gear 38 of any suitable type is rotatably mounted on the rollers 36 which may be provided with grooves to prevent the ring gear 38 from working ofi of their ends.

The ring gear 38 carries mountings for spools I described in detail in my co-pending application. a

Serial No. 238,951, filed November 5, 1938, may be employed. Alternatively, the spool mounting devices may be constructed as herein shown and described and comprise oppositely positioned brackets 40, each of which is pivotally connected to a forked frame 42. Any well-known type of ball and socket connection may be used between each bracket 40 and frame 42 in place of a pivotal connection if desired. Each forked frame 42 rotatably supports a supply roll of suitable wrapping material 44. The ring 38, brackets .9, forked frames 42 and rolls of wrapping material 44 constitute a wrapping head which is rotatively supported on the frame in position to encircle a pipe by means'of the rollers 36 and plate 32. i

The ring 38 may be formed in two or more segments which are connected together by side plates 46 and bolt connectors 48.

. shaft 52 for rotation therewith and movement therealong by means of a suitable key (not shown) which is mounted in the spline 56. The friction wheel 58 is driven by a second friction wheel 62 which has its axis substantially at right angles to the friction wheel 58 and is suitably aflixed to one end of the shaft l8.

The speed of rotation of the shaft 52 rela-' tive to that of the shaft l8 may be varied by moving the friction wheel 58 radially of the friction wheel 62 to any desired adjusted position. A convenient means for effecting such an adjustment comprises a shaft 64 which is journaled in a lug68 carried on the frame Ill. The shaft 64 is prevented from axial movement by suitable-collars affixed thereto and is provided with ahand wheel 10 at one end and is threaded as shown at 12 at the other end. A nut 14 is threaded on the shaft and has a fork l6- conf' ectedthereto which is received within the groove -80 on'the reduced shoulder of the friction wheel 58 'Rotation of the hand wheel 10 causes the nut I4 to be threaded along the shaft 64 and through the medium of the fork 16 the friction wheel 58" is moved radially of the friction wheel 62;

In lieuof the change speed friction drive described above and illustrated in the drawings, other suitable means may be employed for driving the shaft 52 from the shaft l8 in any desired speed ratio. For example, a pinion and ring'gear'may be mounted on the shafts 52 and I8, respectively, the mounting being of any suitable type to permit the substitution of gears of different diameters.

A coating device C is carried by the frame Ill, preferably between the wheels 22 and the plate 32. 'I'he coating device C may be of any conventional or suitable type and has been shown diagrammatically for this reason.

Suitable means are provided to counterbalance the weight of the coating and wrapping devices and also to ensure proper traction of wheels is on the pipe P. Such means may, .for example, comprise weight W supported on the forward end I of the machine.-

A hand bar is suitably connected as by means of a socket TI to the frame 10. The hand bar enables the machine to be steadied by an operatorv walking alongside of the machine as it moves along a pipe. Alternatively, the bar 15 may be supported by a wheel or the like.

When it is desired to maintain the machine stationary and pass sections of pipe through it for wrapping instead of advancing the machine along an extended pipe line, the modification In this modified form, the pipe wrapping machine previously described is provided with arms 18 which are suitably connected to the frame I 0 and are provided with openings near their ends which receive standards 80. 'Ihestandards 80 are connected with a base 82 by means of suitable sockets 84. The standards 80 may be formed of pipes and the sockets 84 may comprise pipe flanges. The standards 80 are provided with colars 86 which may be adjustably secured to the standards as by means of set-screws 88. Rollers the machine, but so that the machine will not drop onto the base 82 when there is no pipe in the machine but will be caught by and supported on the collars 86.

Operation of the machine The machine shown in Fig. 1 may be mounted upon a pipe line of indefinite length by removing' the bolt connectors 48 and dropping the segment' of the ring gear 38 which is in the lowermost position. To permit the mounting offthe machine in this manner, the plate'32 is made-of l the inverted U-shape, previously referredto.

. Ifthe coating device C is of the type'which'permits of segmental construction, it is preferably formed with a removable lower section which will be removed at this time in order for it to accommodate the pipe. After the machine is rested on the pipe, the lower section'of the coating device is replaced and 'the'lower segment of the ring 38 is replaced by replacing the side plates 48 and the bolt connectors '48 in well-known manner. Alternatively, particularly where the lower portion of the coating device is not susceptible of ready removal, an end of the pipe line may be threaded through the coating and wrapping devices in their assembled form;

The forked holders 42 for the supply rolls of the wrappingmaterial 44 are adjusted angularly with relation to the axis of the pipe in accordance with the diameter of the pipe and the amount of overlap of the spirals desired. In the event that wrapping spool mountings are employed of the type disclosed in my said co-pending application, Serial No. 238,951, filed November 5, 1938, the

spools may be adjusted on their mountings to illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 may be resorted to.

obtain any desired arrangements of the wrappings as therein described. Coating material is placed within the coating device and the motor 24 is started. The motor 24 will, through the medium of the sprockets 28 and 28 and the chain 30, drive the traction wheels l8 and thereby propel the entire machine along the pipe line.

As the machine moves along the pipe line, the wheels 22 will, of course, be rotated, due to their frictional contact with the pipe line, and the friction wheel 62 will rotate the friction wheel 58v and drive the shaft 52 and the pinion 50 and thereby rotate the ring gear 38 around the pipe. Just prior to starting the machine, wrapping material is pulled from each supply roll 44 and fastened in any convenient way around the pipe. As the ring gear 38 rotates and the'machine advances along the pipe, the wrapping material will be laid along the pipe in spirals which can be made to overlap to any extent desired by suitably adjusting the speed of rotation of the gear I the machine which wraps them in the same manner as when the machine moves on thepipe.

'During this type of operation, the motor 24 may contact of the wheels 22 with the pipe, the speed of rotation of the ring gear 38 and, concomitantly, the rate at which the wrapping mate-- rial is applied to the pipe, is controlled solely by the rate of the movement of the machine relative to the pipe. It follows that variations in the speed of movement of the machinerelative to the pipe, however, great, will have no effect on the manner in which the wrapping material is applied around the pipe, because such variation will automatically produce similar variations in the rate of rotation of the ring gear 38. For this reason, a tight' and smooth wrapping will always be applied to the pipe, regardless of the speed of movement of the machine relative to the pipe and irrespective of slippage which may occur between the traction wheels l6 and the pipe.

The present invention provides a machine which may be used to wrap either a long pipe line or a short pipe section with equal facility, and without requiring any extensive changes, and which will wrap a tight and smooth coating upon either one with a minimum of effort.-

The foregoing details have been given for the purpose of explanation and not limitation, since many changes may be made in the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention which isto be limited only by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A pipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, means for producing relative translational movement between the frame and a pipe or other object to be wrapped, means for applying wrapping material in spirals around said pipe, and means operated solely by said relative translational movement for driving said wrapping means.

2. A pipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, means for supporting said frame upon a pipe or other object to be wrapped, said means comprising a traction wheel, means comprising a motor in operative connection to said traction' wheel for producing relative translational movement between the frame and pipe, means for applying wrapping material in spirals around said pipe, and means controlled by said relative translational movement for driving said wrapping means.

3. A pipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, wheels carried by said frame for supponting the same upon a pipe or other object to be wrapped, means for driving one of said wheels for producing relative movement between said frame and pipe, means for applying wrapping material spirally around said pipe, and means driven by another of said wheels rotated by contact with the pipe for operating said wrapping applying means.

4.A pipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, wheels carried by said frame and adapted to contact with a pipe or other object to be wrapped, means for driving one of said wheels to produce relative translational movement between the pipe and frame, and means driven by another of said wheels rotated by contact with the pipe for applying wrapping material spirally around said pipe. I

5. A pipe wrapping machine comprising wheels adapted to contact with a pipe or other object to be wrapped, a frame supported by said wheels, means for driving one of said wheels to produce relative translational movement between the pipe and frame, and means driven by another of said wheels rotated by contact with the pipe for applying wrapping material spirally around said pipe.

' 6.A pipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, wheels carried by said frame for supporting the same upon a pipe or other object to be wrapped, means carried by said frame for driving one of said wheels to propel the machine along the pipe, and means driven by another of said wheels rotated by contact with the pipe for applying wrapping material spirally around said pipe.

7. A pipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, wheels carried by said frame for supporting the same upon a pipe or other object to be wrapped, means carried by said frame for rotating one of said wheels to propel the machine along the pipe, means rotatable about said pipe for applying wrapping material to the same, and speed change means driven by another of said wheels rotated by contact with the pipe for rotating said wrapping applying means.

8. A pipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, wheels carried by said frame for supporting the same upon a pipe or other object to be wrapped, a motor carried by said frame, operative connections with said motor for rotating at least oneof said wheels to propel the machine along the pipe, a wrapping head carried by said frame and rotatable about said pipe, a supply roll of wrapping material carried by said head, and speed change means driven by at least one other of said wheels as the latter is rotated through contact with the pipe for rotating said wrapping head.

9. A pipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, wheels carried by said frame for supporting the same upon a pipe orv other object to be wrapped, means for driving one of said wheels to move the pipe axially, means for restraining said frame from translational movement, and meansdriven by another of said wheels as the latter is rotated through contact with said pipe for applying wrapping material spirally around the pipe.

10. A pipe wrapping machine comprising a frame, wheels carried by said frame for supporting the same upon a P pe or other object to be wrapped, means for driving at least one of said wheels to move the pipe axially, means for preventing movement of said frame axially of said pipe but allowing vertical movement thereof to permit the weight of the machine to'be supported by the pipe, means for applying wrapping material around the pipe, and means driven by at least one other of said wheels as the latter is rotated through contact with the pipe to operate said wrapping material applying means.

11. A pipe wrapping machine comprising a roller support for a pipe or ,other objectjto be wrapped, a frame, wheels carried by said frame for supporting the same on the pipe, means for driving one of said wheels toadvance said pipe axially, means for preventing movement of said frame in a direction axially of said pipe but a1- lowing vertical movement thereof to permit the weight of the frame and the elements carried therebyto be supported by the pipe, a wrapping head carried by said frame and rotatable around the pipe, means carried by said headfor applying wrapping material to the pipe, and means for rotating said head driven by another of said wheels as the latter is rotated through contact with the pipe.

12. A pipe wrapp g machine for traveling movement on an extended pipe, said machine comprising a frame, wheels carried by said frame-tor engagement with said pipe, means for a,ass,sa1

ping means.

Jams D. commas; 

